1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image printing method and device for printing a desired print image on a predetermined print area on a printing object by using a print head.
2. Prior Art
In general, an image printing device for printing a desired print image comprised of images of characters of a character string including one or more characters, such as letters, numerals, symbols, and simple figures, arranged as image elements, allocates predetermined blank areas (margins) to respective top/bottom and left/right areas of a print area having a predetermined size (e.g. one page).
For instance, word processors or the like set predetermined top, bottom, left and right margins to a printing object (e.g. a printing paper of fixed size (A4 or the like)), and thereby carries out printing of a print image on a portion exclusive of these margins as a predetermined area. Further, when desired margins cannot be obtained due to variations in a position at which the printing paper (printing object) is set or a paper feed mechanism, the margins are set again based on results of the printing, for adjustment.
Further, in the word processors or the like, usually, the direction of running (moving) of a print head is orthogonal to the direction of feeding of the paper, and hence the positions of the left and right margins are adjusted by adjusting a print start position and a print end position along the direction of running of the print head (e.g. along the length of a line of a character string in horizontal writing), and the positions of the top and bottom margins are adjusted by adjusting the print start position and the print end position along the direction of feeding of the printing paper. That is, by adjusting the print start/end positions through the movement control of the print head and the feed control of the printing paper, desired margins can be obtained.
However, in a particular kind of printing apparatus, such as a tape printing apparatus, there is a type having a fixed print head. In such a printing apparatus, only the print start/end positions along the direction of feeding of the printing object (e.g. tape) can be adjusted by the feeding control, and hence only the front margin and the rear margin (corresponding to the top and bottom margins in the case of the word processors or the like) can be adjusted but lateral margins along the width of the tape (corresponding to the left and right margins in the case of the word processors or the like) cannot be adjusted.
It is an object of the invention to provide an image printing method and device which prints a print image on a printing object, by moving one of the printing object and a print head which has a plurality of dot elements arranged thereon in a predetermined direction, relative to the other in a direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction and is capable of adjusting a printing position in the predetermined position.
To attain the above object, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of printing a print image on a printing object, by relatively moving at least one of the printing object and a print head which has a plurality of dot elements arranged thereon in a predetermined direction each for printing one pixel dot and is capable of printing a predetermined maximum number of pixel dots in the predetermined direction, in a direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction.
The method according to the first aspect of the invention is characterized by comprising the steps of:
setting an image having a number of pixel dots in the predetermined direction in number smaller than the predetermined maximum number of pixel dots to the print image:
setting a range of use corresponding to a predetermined number of pixel dots to the plurality of dot elements;
adjusting a printing position of the print image in units of one or more pixel dots, as required, by moving the range of use along the predetermined direction; and
printing the print image on a predetermined print area on the printing object by using dot elements in the range of use of the plurality of dot elements.
To attain the above object, according to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an image printing device for printing a print image on a printing object, comprising:
a print head which has a plurality of dot elements arranged thereon in a predetermined direction each for printing one pixel dot and is capable of printing a predetermined maximum number of pixel dots in the predetermined direction;
print image-setting means for setting an image having a number of pixel dots in the predetermined direction smaller in number than the predetermined maximum number of pixel dots to the print image;
use range-setting means for setting a range of use corresponding to a predetermined number of pixel dots to the plurality of dot elements;
printing position-adjusting means for adjusting a printing position of the print image in units of one or more pixel dots, as required, by moving the range of use along the predetermined direction;
moving means for relatively moving at least one of the print head and the printing object, in a direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction; and
printing means for printing the print image on a predetermined print area on the printing object by using dot elements in the range of use of the plurality of dot elements.
According to the image printing method and device, a print image having a number of pixel dots smaller than the predetermined maximum number of pixel dots in the predetermined direction is printed on a printing object, by using part of a plurality of dot elements, by relatively moving at least one of the printing object and a print head which has a plurality of dot elements arranged thereon in a predetermined direction, in a direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction. Further, by moving the range of use of the plurality of dot elements in the predetermined direction, the printing position of the print image is adjusted in units of one or more pixel dots, as required, whereby it is possible to print the print image on the predetermined print area on the printing object. The adjustment of the printing position along the direction orthogonal to the predetermined position (i.e. the direction of the relative motion) can be effected e.g. by adjusting the print start/end positions by control of the relative motion of the print head.
Preferably, the printing object is a tape.
According to this preferred embodiment of each of the first and second aspects of the invention, since the printing object is a tape, the method and device can be applied to the tape printing apparatus.
Preferably, the predetermined print area is a half-die-cut label formed in the printing object by half die cutting.
According to this preferred embodiment of each of the first and second aspects of the invention, since the predetermined print area is a half-die-cut label formed in the printing object by half die cutting, only by printing the print image on the half-die-cut label as the predetermined print area and peeling off the half-die-cut label, a label having a desired print image printed thereon can be formed. The position of the half-die-cut label on the printing object has variation, and hence even if the label as the predetermined print area is displaced due to the variation, the printing position can be adjusted in a manner accommodating the variation.
More preferably, there are provided a plurality of kinds of labels as the half-die-cut label, and the step of adjusting the printing position includes adjusting the printing position according to each kind of the labels.
More preferably, there are provided a plurality of kinds of labels as the half-die-cut label, and the printing position-adjusting means adjusts the printing position according to each kind of the labels.
According to these preferred embodiments, there are provided a plurality of kinds of labels as the half-die-cut label, and the printing position is adjusted according to each kind of the labels. Therefore, it is possible to adjust the printing position according to the kind of the half-die-cut label.
Preferably, the step of adjusting the printing position includes designating the printing position by an incremental or decremental number of pixel dots with reference to a predetermined reference position corresponding to a reference number of pixel dots.
Preferably, the printing position-adjusting means includes dot position-designating means for designating the printing position by an incremental or decremental number of pixel dots with reference to a predetermined reference position corresponding to a reference number of pixel dots.
According to these preferred embodiments, the printing position is designated by an incremental or decremental number of pixel dots with reference to a predetermined reference position corresponding to a reference number of pixel dots. Therefore, the adjustment can be easily effected. It should be noted that the predetermined reference position may be a predetermined fixed position, or may be the present printing position currently configured.
Preferably, the print image is formed by converting a character code of each character of a character string including at least one character to image data based on a predetermined dot font, and arranging the image data in a predetermined memory area.
Preferably, the image printing device includes print image-forming means for forming the print image by converting a character code of each character of a character string including at least one character to image data based on a predetermined dot font, and arranging the image data in a predetermined memory area.
According to these preferred embodiments, the print image is formed by converting a character code of each character of a character string including at least one character to image data based on a predetermined dot font, and arranging the image data in a predetermined memory area. Therefore, it is possible to form the print image adapted to the character string.
More preferably, the method includes the step of reading the character string from a disc storing the character string.
More preferably, the image printing device further includes reading means for reading the character string from a disc storing the character string.
According to these preferred embodiments, the character string is read from the disc storing the same. Therefore, it is possible to form a print image adapted to a character string stored in a disc.
Preferably, the disc is a mini disc.
According to this preferred embodiment of each of the first and second aspects of the invention, an image adapted to the character string read from the mini disc can be printed.
More preferably, the reading means includes disc playback means for reading the character string from the disc.
The image printing device according to the preferred embodiment has disc playback means for reading the character string from the disc. That is, the provision of the disc playback means makes it possible to easily read out character groups stored in the disc as well as divert the construction of a disc playback device of a general type to the reading of the character groups.
More preferably, the disc playback means is constructed such that the disc playback means receives a request signal generated in response to a key operation of a remote controller from the remote controller, and transmits a portion of a character string to be displayed on a display of the remote controller to the remote controller, the portion corresponding to the request signal, and the reading means further includes remote control communication means for sending the request signal and receiving the portion of the character string in place of the remote controller.
The aforementioned disc playback device of the general type is constructed such that it receives a request signal generated by a key operation from the remote controller, and transmits a character string in response to the request signal. Therefore, by generating the same request signal as generated by the remote controller for the same processing, the image printing device can also obtain the same character string as obtained by the remote controller. That is, in this image printing device, the reading means has the disc playback means and the remote control communication means for transmitting the same request signal as generated by the remote controller and receives the character string, which makes it possible to obtain the character string stored in the disc. It should be noted that by configuring the remote control communication means such that it causes the remote controller to generate a plurality of request signals by a single operation and transmit a combination of a plurality of successive request signals to the disc playback device, it is possible to obtain a plurality of character strings corresponding to the respective request signals by a single operation.